


on top of the world

by ballumschmallum



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, M/M, ballum - Freeform, ben and callum are disgustingly in love, just pure fluff and love, no smut included, the 7k proposal coda that absolutely no one wanted, this took me all week to write and i am so happy that i can now share this with you!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:27:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29272470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballumschmallum/pseuds/ballumschmallum
Summary: Callum was smiling as he flipped the pancakes, his heart fluttering at the intro music that started to play on the radio, a song that he now knew so well. A song that came with a sealed promise of forever and brightly coloured fireworks as they stood blissfully in the aftermath.“I’m running out of ways to make you see,” Callum sang softly, carefully flipping a cooked fluffy pancake onto a plate. “I want you to stay here beside me.”or the proposal coda
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 11
Kudos: 73





	on top of the world

**Author's Note:**

> hey there!!! hopefully this will make up for the lack of ballum last week and will fill your hearts all over again!! <33
> 
> i hope you enjoy this as much as i loved writing it.

It was alluring, the night sky. They did not quite realise how captivating it really was until they stood on the balcony, bright colours exploding and blending with dark navy blue and colliding with the stars that sparkled and shined. It was almost magical the way the many dazzling fireworks burst up into the sky matched how Ben and Callum were feeling and how both of their hearts were bursting with happiness and love, completely. 

Ben, already feeling it on many occasions since he met Callum, felt whole. He was no longer filled with the dreaded darkness that was always walking two seconds behind him, his stomach was not in thousands of knots from fear and dread. He was finally at peace. The darkness had walked away, disintegrating into ash, like the bright radiant sunshine that was Callum burned over the darkness and brought Ben with him into the light, where there were rainbows, and you could hear the birds singing. It was bliss. It felt freeing, like he had left that dark world behind.

Callum’s heat was radiating on Ben, like a warm blanket as he rested his head on his shoulder. He was _happy_. He looked up at the sky and sniffed, his eyes starting to glass over from the freezing cold as well as being full of emotion, full of love. He silently thanked the stars above for sending Callum to him, that their paths aligned. He never genuinely believed in soulmates, until Callum came into his life. He solely believed that Callum was his destiny, his _soulmate_.

“You okay?”

The soft gentle warm voice transmitted into Ben’s processor. The voice that sounds so familiar, the voice that he hears muffled under the bed covers late at night, the voice that always soothes him, the voice that reassures him that he is _worth it_.

Ben’s eyes divert upwards as he continues resting his hand on Callum’s shoulder, his hand feeling warm and cosy as it is tucked up against his. Callum is looking down at him, a smile that is full of love and dimples. His smile lit up Ben’s world. He moves his head from Callum’s shoulder and smiles softly, almost shyly. 

“Never better,” Ben says, his smile moving brighter, brighter than the fireworks that continued to explode up into the night sky.

No one was looking up at them from down below anymore, all mesmerized by the fireworks. Ben untucked his hand from Callum’s and put his arm around his waist, pulling him closer. “C’mere,” he whispers amongst the stars.

He clasps his lips with Callum, pulling him into a more passionate kiss where their lips folded together. Ben suddenly felt the rose petals scratch his back lightly, a gentle tickle as Callum moved to wrap his arms around Ben’s back, pulling him closer. Their bodies were stuck together as they indulged in each other’s mouths, smiling against them, their tongues colliding as they battled for dominance, getting lost in their own heaven. 

It was just them leaving the world to its own as they stood on the balcony, kissing repeatedly. It was the first proper kiss since they became _fiancés_. Since their family were too focused on the fireworks that were exploding above them, they decided to use the time to absorb the love and happiness that they felt of becoming engaged and getting married, of spending forever together. 

“Oi lovebirds!” 

The fireworks had fizzled out, the remnants of the fireworks bubbling against the stars that sounded the same as a fizzy drink bottle being opened for the first time. Ben and Callum moved their lips apart, a _smack_ escaping their wet lips. They looked down to find Jay looking up, smiling mischievously up at them. Jay held his phone landscape in his hands and it was lowered down, like he had just snapped a photo. The perfect photo. Ben was going to have a word with him about getting that photo sent to him and ruin his ego by posting a publicly indecent photo on his social media accounts followed by the caption **_‘we said yes’_** with a love heart and maybe a ring and red rose emoji. 

“Get down here, the champagne won’t drink itself,” Lexi ordered loudly, her little voice travelling up the balcony effortlessly. A chuckle ruptured in Ben and Callum’s chests, used to her ways a long time ago.

Downstairs, a glass of champagne was put in everyone’s hands apart from Lexi who had a glass of lemonade. They all toasted Ben and Callum, the happy power couple of Walford. Callum had his arm around Ben’s shoulders as he felt Ben’s arm across his waist. They were smiling so hard that it would probably start to physically ache soon, but they did not care. They were so happy and in love. While everyone had a sip of their champagne, Callum and Ben looked at each other and stole a quick kiss, yearning for more but knew that it was a promise for later, for when they could finally have each other to themselves. 

Ben masked the disheartened feeling in his chest when Kathy showed up a couple of hours later, clearly stressed and her main priority being his _waste of a space_ half-brother. She walked over to Ben, who was standing with Lola at the bar, with a furrowed brow as she took in her surroundings.

“What’s going on here?” She asks. “I got the text you sent me a couple of hours ago. I’ve barely looked at my phone today to be honest.”

With a disappointed smile in which Ben refused to let those feelings take over the true happiness that he felt, he told his mother the happy news, the first bit of good news since his implant worked. When Ben told her, Kathy’s eyes started to brim with wet tears, happy tears for the first time this week of the news that her youngest son was getting married, that he had a _steady_. She pulled Ben into a tight hug, gushing of how happy and proud she was of him, congratulating him.

Callum was alerted to Kathy’s presence when he was standing in the corner with Jay, Stuart, Rainie and Lexi. 

“Where’s that future son in law of mine?” She called out. Callum turned round to find Kathy charging over to him, a wide radiant smile on her face. When she reached Callum, she pulled him into a tight hug, muttering words of congratulations and how happy she is for them both. Callum smiled kindly and looked over Kathy’s shoulder to find Ben slowly making his way over, an amused smirk dancing his lips in which Callum mirrored. 

The evening ended on very little champagne, due to the amount that had been consumed by everyone throughout the evening. It all seemed to go by in a blur but to Callum, it was magical. It made his heart swell with happiness and he felt full of emotion on how this was all for _him_ , he had to hold back the tears when Lexi presented her pink clipboard to him, her eyes lighting up in excitement when she showed him the schedule of the whole proposal.

He meant what he had said to Ben - when he’s with him, he feels like they can take on the world. 

Ever since he’s been with Ben, he has felt truly loved and worth it, and was pretty much _fine_ the way he was. He was fine as the smiley dopey self that he was born to be. He did not just have Ben, but he had a whole family who loved and cared about him. He felt so lucky of how he just slotted into their family, into their lives and into their hearts. 

It made him feel _on top of the world_. 

Towards the end of the evening, Callum was slightly tipsy because of the champagne as well as being slightly drunk on love, _drunkenly in love with Ben._

“Have this darling, you’ll look like a proper princess now,” Callum crouched down to Lexi’s level, a red rose in his hand. “Thank you, our little proposal organiser!” 

Lexi’s jaw dropped as a wide smile spread across her mouth, her eyes shining in delight as she took the red rose, her heart leaping at the thought of being a _proper princess_ in her wide skirted bright pink puffy dress. 

“Thanks Callum,” She exclaims in a thrill voice. “Can I organise your wedding as well?”

“No,” Ben says, almost instantly. “You’ll have us riding about in a horse and carriage if it was down to you.” 

Lexi looked over to Ben, her lips pointing outwards into a frown, lines presenting itself under her eyes as she squinted, “It’d be the best wedding _ever_.” She insisted.

“The best wedding ever would be having you as our flower girl,” Callum tells her, flashing one of his _wink-blinks_ in her direction, Ben completely trying to hide the fact how it just made his heart skip a beat. Lexi looks up at Callum, her face glowing with happiness as she beams up at him. 

It made Ben’s heart swell up looking at the two of them together. Just like it did every time. Callum was amazing with her and Lexi adored him and always looked up to him like he hung the moon and the stars. He started to feel overcome with emotion as he reminisced of when Lexi told Callum how there is no one in the world that she would rather have as her other dad only a few hours earlier. And also how obvious it was that they were meant to be together. 

Lexi was right. They were meant to be together. There was also no other man who he would want to be Lexi's other dad. Callum was meant to walk into his life and take all the darkness away and make him see the golden sun that illuminated over him and opened a doorway that was full of hope and possibilities. Taking that step through the door was the best decision that he ever made because he was finally truly happy and accepting of who he was.

Ben smiled softly, a muted chuckle rumbling in his chest as Lexi sniffed the rose dramatically, her eyes fluttering shut like she was Belle from Beauty and the Beast, the inspiration _obviously_ coming from one of the princesses that she has made him watch a thousand times. 

He briefly looked over at Callum, who was smiling down at Lexi while stealing a sip of champagne. His heart was roaring like a warm sizzling cosy fire. The two most important people in his universe and he could not quite believe that he was going to have them for the rest of his life. It was the best feeling that could make his heart almost explode out of his chest. He could not believe that he got _so lucky_ in gaining the most kind-hearted person to ever exist. 

However, what he did not expect was by the very end of the evening for each single lady in the bar to be given a red rose. Ben stood at the bar shaking his head in disbelief, but he could not help that laugh that escaped and rattled through his body. “Do you realise how much those roses cost babe?” He called out to Callum, who was currently giving a rose to Honey. 

He didn’t care though. There were thousands of roses there, but it wasn’t about that. Callum wouldn’t be Callum without being the generous person with his compassionate soul, always thinking of himself above anyone else. 

They felt a slight gust of wind tipping onto their backs as they walked home hand in hand, swaying from side to side with Lexi skipping beside Callum. Lola was walking beside Ben and was pulling her short jacket tighter to try and block out the cold. With the burning fuzz of their love in both of their hearts, Ben and Callum could only feel the warmth as they walked close together hand in hand, heat radiating off them both like a thick cosy blanket. 

When they reached their house and stepped through the back door, Lexi was excitedly telling them all how she was going to get _lots_ of Christmas presents this year because Callum’s family will become her family. 

“Rainie told me!” She said all giddily, “So I’ll have Santa’s presents, your presents, Nana Kathy’s presents, grandad’s presents, and Stuart and Rainie’s presents. I’ll also have presents from your mum and dad too won’t I, Cal?” 

Amongst all the happiness, at that moment it was like a small pin had pierced one of the balloons which made it _pop_ and fly away, sinking down to the pit of his stomach. 

Ben knew as he looked at him, squeezing his hand reassuringly, silently apologising, silently saying how it is okay to feel sad, to be sad. 

“Come on you,” Lola broke Callum out of his sad moment, like she had just taken his other hand and dragged him away from all the pain of having rubbish parents. “It’s late, time to get you to bed missus!” 

Lexi briefly nodded before looking up at Ben, eyes shining brightly like butter wouldn’t melt. “Dad, can you read me a bedtime story?” 

“No Lex, I think your dad’s tired,” she tells him gently. “Plus he probably wants to spend some time with Callum.”

“No it’s okay,” Callum says cordially. “I can wait. I don’t mind Lexi having a bedtime story with her dad first.” 

Callum turned to Ben to find Ben looking back at him, potential gleaming in his eyes as he licks his lips. 

“Alright,” Ben nods briefly with a small flirtatious grin pulling at his lips. “I guess I’ll see you up there, keep the bed warm.” He teases. He plants a hard lingering kiss on Callum’s lips, a breathy sacred promise escaping their lips as they parted. 

He turns to Lexi, “Right Miss Bossy Boots, time for bed,” he says, lifting Lexi up in the air and balancing her on his hip.

“Night Mum, Night Callum,” Lexi’s happy voice echoes through the hallway, leaving Lola and Callum smiling at the kitchen doorway. 

“I guess I’ll have the telly to myself tonight,” Lola notes, letting out a breath. She exchanges smiles with Callum before he turns and fills a pint glass up with water. “I’m really happy that it all worked out for you and Ben y’know. I’ve never seen you both so happy, partially Ben.” 

“He makes me happy,” Callum admits shyly as he turns back round. “ _So happy._ ” His voice starts to crackle, suddenly feeling thick with emotion.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Lola smiles. “I’ll also wear my ear plugs tonight.” She adds with a cheeky smirk and a wink. She notices the way Callum’s cheeks start to blush a pretty pink and giggles. “Relax, I think it’s great. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Night,” Callum says quietly before making his way upstairs. 

Ben smiled to himself as he closed Lexi’s bedroom door shut behind him, his pulse racing at what’s to come, some well needed alone time with his _fiancé_ at last. A chance for them to soak each other in, drown themselves in each other with no other distractions apart from sloppy kisses and husky laughs.

He padded his way across the landing until he reached his and Callum’s bedroom. His fingers lightly touched the door handle, the cold copper tingling at his fingertips before he opened the door. When he steps inside, he finds Callum waiting for him. The sight almost takes his breath away as he witnesses Callum laying on _their_ bed, bare and uncovered all for him, looking at him desirably with a rose in his mouth. Ben lets out a small giggle at the sight, his stomach bubbling with anticipation. 

“Have I not done it right?” Callum frowns, his words jumping over the thorn that still remained in his mouth. 

“No you have done it right,” Ben quickly reassures him, suddenly feeling himself start to tingle and harden down south. He shrugs off his grey checked coat, letting it fall to the floor and starts to pull his top off over his head. “You look gorgeous, babe. Waiting for me.” He starts to remove his clothing bit by bit, keeping eye contact with Callum the whole time, a bold want flashing across them. 

“Lexi is out for the count, being team captain must have tired her out,” He says, climbing onto the bed and straddling Callum’s lap as Callum comes up to meet him. Ben removes the rose from Callum’s mouth and replaces it briefly with the brush of his lips. 

“No offence, but I don’t really want to be talking about Lexi while I’m trying to make love to my _fiancé_ ,” Callum murmurs, clasping his lips in another kiss. 

Ben hums against Callum’s lips, before pulling away briefly. He looks at Callum with an arched eyebrow, a playful grin dancing on his lips, “ _Make love?_ You really are a soppy git aren’t ya.” 

“Keep talking like that and you won’t be getting any,” Callum warns, earning a chuckle from Ben. Ben crashes his lips against Callum’s once more, bodies shifting as close as possible - chest to chest, nose to nose, mouth to mouth. Their lips continued to fold, their tongues started to battle for dominance, feeling each other’s shaky breaths on each other’s faces as they danced together to something that they were so familiar with, like a classic song, a perfect melody. 

  
  


Callum is the first to wake the next morning. It had just gone eight o’clock in the morning. Roses had been littered across the floor, surrounding their bed giving the room a blissful reminder of the night before. Callum was propped up on his elbow looking down at a still sleeping Ben. His face looked beautiful, peaceful like nothing in this world could ever harm him and for as long as Callum was around, he would always protect him. _For better or for worse_. 

They were both naked under the tangled sheets that had cocooned around them during the night. The sheets were swimming around Ben’s waist as he lay on his back. Callum noticed the way that Ben’s chest moved up and down and smiled softly, a sense of giddiness bouncing in his heart at the idea of the man sleeping next to him was his forever and it made Callum’s heart leap even more that he will spend every day of the rest of his life waking up beside him and that was just the first of many. The shadow of the sharp winter’s morning sun reflected through a small gap in the curtains and onto Ben. Half of his face was glowing, outlining the stubble on his jaw and the odd specks of freckles that were dotted over the bridge of his nose clearly. People often say how Callum brought out the good in Ben and made him see the light, but to him, Ben was the one who saved him, took his hand and guided him out of the conflicted world that he had trapped himself in and made his lungs tighten. Since he met Ben, he felt free, like he could fly again. 

The world was their oyster now.

“You know it’s rude to stare,” Ben spoke after a while, his eyes still closed and a twitch of a smile threatening to pull at his lips.

It bounced Callum out of his trance, a nervous chuckle sputtering out of his lips, “Sorry I-” 

Callum moves to roll on his back, but a quick grab of his hand halts his actions. Callum looks over to Ben to find those blue eyes looking straight back at him, a soft loving look burning in his eyes and a warm smile plastered on his lips that was brighter than a mere few seconds before. Callum’s hand was brought to rest on Ben’s chest and suddenly Callum was back to where he was, but this time he could feel Ben’s racing heartbeat pulsing against his hand and beating for _him_.

“It’s alright, I know I’m attractive,” Ben says cheekily.

Callum breathes out a laugh. His face relaxes and he looks down at Ben, devotion and adoration filling his facial features, “Yes babe, you are sexy.”

Despite Callum gaining confidence in himself since coming out, _what feels like so long ago now_ , he still feels his cheeks blush at times from when he gives out compliments, especially to Ben. That shy side of him sometimes likes to make an appearance.

“C’mere,” Ben responds huskily, a quiet growl vibrating in his chest like a volcano about to rupture. His heart was having the same effect as it had already ruptured with love. He reaches his hand up to the back of Callum’s head, tangling his fingers in his hair, which is his pride and joy, and bringing his head down to seal his lips in a kiss. Their lips slotting together perfectly, barely there for a few seconds before they suddenly weren’t. It felt like someone had just let the cold in, disturbing the warmth of the fire in their chests. It was still there, but now it was just simmering, like a gentle flutter. “ _Hey you_.” 

“ _Hey_ ,” Callum says ever so softly, like sharing a secret that was for Ben’s ears only. 

“You okay?” Ben asks, looking up at Callum like he was gazing up at every star in the sky and it was beautiful. _He was beautiful._

“Yeah, you know, the sun's shining, birds are singing,” Callum says coyly, half of his lips quirked up in a small smile.

“Yeah same,” Ben breathes out, finding his smile endearing. He looks down at Callum’s hand, to where it rests over his beating heart, the heart that beats for him and _only him_ and intertwines their fingers together. 

It is mornings like these that Ben finds the best. Where he can just lay in bed with the man he loves, snuggling, kissing, touching, and just letting the world turn around them. The whole world is shut out as they create their own little paradise in the confinements of their bedroom. They didn’t need to talk, just like they weren’t doing now but it was a comfortable silence. It was always a comfortable silence. 

Callum watched as their fingers slid in between each other’s the same way a 2p coin slots into a slotting machine, perfect and with ease. His eyes wander further up to find Ben looking up at him, passion shining brightly in his eyes, brighter and bolder than the sun that was threatening to seep through the gap in the curtains.

“Are you hungry?” He asks, thinking of anything, trying to ignore the fire that was roaring heatedly in his chest. Part of him didn’t want to ignore it though. 

“Yeah I am as it goes,” Ben says in a sultry tone and a lick of his lips. His eyes wandered towards Callum’s lips, the urge of wanting to run his tongue across his bottom lip, wanting to bite, suck, nip at the stubble that was prominent on his jaw line. 

“I can make us some breakfast,” Callum goes on to suggest. “I can make you some pancakes.”

“It’s not pancakes I’m hungry for,” Ben points out seductively, his stare becoming more intense, more darker, showing exactly _what_ he was hungry for. 

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Callum’s pulse started to quicken and he swallowed as he held Ben’s gaze, the look in his eyes making his blood feel warm and sending signals down south. Before he knew it, Ben’s lips were on his, crashing together like their lives depended on it. It was wet and sloppy, hands were everywhere, shallow breaths escaped their mouths, and their bodies became knotted under the sheets together. It didn’t look like a work of art, but it was _them_. 

Callum did end up making those pancakes just over an hour later much for Ben’s dismay. He tried to drag Callum back into the bed with him, wanting to explore and run his hands over more of his fiancé but Callum claimed that they needed _sustenance_. He even stubbed his toe on a rose thorn in the process of trying to playfully get away from Ben’s grabbing hands. Ben sunk into the sheets as he laughed but when his face relaxed, an apologetic look painted over his features. He surrendered and let Callum cook breakfast. 

Callum was smiling as he flipped the pancakes, his heart fluttering at the intro music that started to play on the radio, a song that he now knew so well. A song that came with a sealed promise of forever and brightly coloured fireworks as they stood blissfully in the aftermath. 

“ _I’m running out of ways to make you see,_ ” Callum sang softly, carefully flipping a cooked fluffy pancake onto a plate. “ _I want you to stay here beside me_.” 

Ben softly padded down the stairs, his bare toes curling into the carpet as he made his way to join Callum in the kitchen in just a dressing gown and a pair of boxers. His glasses frame his face.

He smiles in fascination, scratching the back of his neck as he listens to the soft tune that is emerging from Callum’s lips, a beautiful soothing melody. He recognises the song instantly too, immediately setting his heart on racing mode.

“ _Please take my hand,_ ” Callum continues to sing, clearly not noticing that Ben was now watching him, his head resting on the door frame. 

Callum was in his own happy bubble as he stood in a basic t-shirt and shorts and shaking his hips slightly to the rhythm of the music as he flipped the next pancake over. It was infectious watching Callum and it set something shooting through Ben’s veins and made his heart skip beats as he watched Callum being _so happy and free_. He had to quickly swallow the lump that was slowly starting to rise in his throat. He was proud of Callum and how far he had come from the quiet and scared man who was hiding in the shadows when they first met, and now they were going to get married and spend the rest of their lives being _happy_.

“You should have gone down the singing career route babe,” Ben remarks, making Callum almost jump out of his skin. “Ed Sheeran in the making.” 

Callum’s head rotates dramatically to meet Ben who is presenting him with an endearing smile and a tender look in his eyes, letting the softness take over for another moment. He walks over to the kitchen table when he notices a small note sitting there in waiting, recognising the handwriting from a distance. Ben picked up the note and grinned as the words spoke out in front of him:

_Took Lexi to school. Sounds like you had a very good night when you went to bed last night and thought you could do with the lie in! Lola x_

“Yeah,” Callum breathes out, a light chuckle drawing out of his lips. His cheeks flushed slightly at the reminder of last night’s exotic activities. 

Ben looks over at Callum who was putting the third pancake on the reserved plate that was already stacked with a few warm light pancakes. He walks over, enveloping his arms around Callum’s body from behind and peppers light flirtatious kisses on his shoulder and neck. 

“Why don’t we have these in bed instead, eh?” He says in his ear huskily, sending Callum goosebumps and the hairs on the back of his neck stand as he feels Ben’s sultry breath tingling in his ear and down his neck. “It’s much comfier up there.”

“Nutella could go on the bed sheets,” Callum chuckles lightly, squirming under Ben’s lip as he flips another pancake in the pan. He knows what Ben is really implying and truthfully, he would want nothing more, but he had work in a couple of hours and he knew that if he slipped back under those covers with Ben, he would never want to leave. 

“Maybe I just want you to come back to bed,” Ben murmurs cheekily, tightening his hold around Callum’s waist and planting an open-mouthed wet kiss onto Callum’s neck. 

“I’ve got to go to work in a couple of hours,” Callum breaks it to him, sadness evident in his voice. All he wanted to do was be free and spend the day with Ben and not be confined in police uniform clinging to his body. 

“What?” Ben responds, disbelief falling from his voice. When Callum puts the last pancake on the plate, Ben gently spins Callum round so he is facing him. He wraps his arms around Callum’s waist and his lips pursed in a pout, sadness pouring over his features and his heart starts to yearn at the thought of being away from Callum in a couple of hours. “I thought we had the whole day together.”

Callum shakes his head sadly, wrapping his arms around Ben’s waist as his back rests against the kitchen counter. “I’m sorry babe, if I knew I was going to get engaged yesterday I would have sorted something out.” He says, playfulness ringing in his tone. 

Ben hums and pecks his lips softly, “Then it wouldn’t have been a surprise. Can’t you just pull a sickie or something? You could have a funny turn with those pancakes y’know.”

Callum’s eyebrow quirks challengingly, “You saying that my cooking is bad?”

“No babe,” Ben breathes out a chuckle. “I’m just trying to give you reasons as to why you could suddenly come down ill within the next couple of hours that’s all.”

Callum hums and nods his head. He bites his lip as he looks back at Ben, watches how his eyes glaze over desirably by the second as he _knows_ what biting his lip does to Ben. “Well maybe I’ll let you join me in the shower after breakfast to make up for it.” 

Ben’s lips instantly stretch up into a sexy smirk which makes Callum feel weak at the knees. He has no words. All he wants is to plummet his lips onto Callum’s, drinking him all in and that’s exactly what he does. _Because he can_. Callum is pushed further up the kitchen worktop as he pulls Ben closer to him, their lips continuing to fold together immaculately; like a piece of paper that has been folded in half and even though they are on separate sides, they always come together as one. 

They weren’t bothered about the breakfast that would soon start to cool; in fact they had forgotten that those warm fluffy pancakes that were waiting to be filled with Nutella even existed as they simply just got lost in each other. 

Ben took Callum up on the offer to join him in the shower after breakfast, and it wasn’t just the bathroom that was getting steamy from the hot water that was pouring over their naked bodies like a waterfall. Their rifling bodies connecting underneath the flow, getting hot and _steamy_ in their own activities that they had indulged themselves in. 

But it wasn’t enough. 

As Callum was about to leave out the kitchen backdoor to head down to the station, Ben was clinging to him like a needy toddler as he loosely had his hands on Callum’s waist and was kissing his neck, Callum pretty sure that his neck would go red soon with the amount of intimate contact that it’s had over the last couple of days. 

“ _Please_ can’t you just pull a sickie,” Ben murmurs against his neck. “I’ll do that thing that you like.”

“No,” Callum breathes out a laugh, squirming under Ben’s lips as he hits the sensitive spot on his neck. “They’re expecting me down at the station.” 

“I can call them for you,” Ben proposes, moving his lips away from Callum’s neck and faces him and his hands attach themselves to Callum’s lapels like a magnet. Playfulness starts to swim in the blue of his eyes. “I could say: _PC Highway’s sex drive is out of control, he requires intercourse around the clock at the utmost urgency._ ”

Callum shakes his head but his look mirrors Ben’s as a smirk appears on his lips. He runs his tongue over his top lip as he looks down at the man who led him into the light and now has the incredible honour of being with him for the rest of his days. “You’re so rampant.” 

Ben scoffs and looks at Callum in bewilderment, “Me? _Rampant_? Have you met yourself?”

“Yeah well, you’re to blame.” 

Ben hums and catches his lips in a kiss. Callum deepens the kiss, allowing his eyes to flutter close as he allows his mind to focus on Ben. 

“So are you coming back to bed?” Ben questions in between kisses.

“No babe, I’m going to be late,” Callum tells him, disappointment evident in his tone as he plants one last hard kiss onto Ben’s lips, wanting nothing more than to succumb and drown into everything _Ben_. “But after this shift, I’m not back at work again for another four days.” That’s what was keeping him going from the dread of parting from the warmth of their home, their bed and their love. 

Callum watched as Ben’s eyes shined intriguingly, and unknowingly to him, Ben’s heart is thumping with excitement like disco lights punching several illuminous colours after every beat.

“Oh yeah, I wonder what we could get up to in four days,” Ben teases, but his face softens to a look of sincere. “But that sounds amazing. I’ll say no more.” He surrenders, patting down the lapels of Callum’s jacket. “When will you be back?” 

“About 6,” Callum answers. His hand reaches out to touch Ben’s cheek, his fingertips touching the skin as light as a feather. He leans in and presses a soft kiss to Ben’s lips, both of their eyes fluttering to a close as they devour the taste of each other, the sweet from the pancakes still there. 

“Love you,” Ben declares gently once their lips painfully part, itching to come back closer even if it’s just for a single moment. 

“Love you,” Callum repeats, his eyes moving into his signature _wink-blink_ which makes Ben’s heart skip a beat instantaneously as it’s just so _Callum_ and he is so _in love_ with him. 

Ben gazes at the doorway that Callum had just left through, fighting the urge to squeal like a lovesick teenager. He already couldn’t wait for Callum to get home, back to him. He was counting down the hours. 

He needed a distraction to pass the time. Maybe he could go to the car lot for a few hours, sell some motors and annoy Jay. But another idea suddenly came to mind and the smile that was already on his lips got wider and excitement and motivation started to bubble away in his stomach, like a bottle of fizzy wanting to spray out in enthusiasm. 

He walked over to the other side of the kitchen to claim his phone and quickly ran through his contacts with his thumb. Once he found the contact and clicked, he put the phone to his ear. The rings on the other end seemed painfully long before the familiar gruff voice was heard on the other end.

“Hey dad, it’s only me.” 

Callum almost bounced through the front door when he came home from his shift. He was smiling from ear to ear and was _pretty sure_ that his jaw would soon be aching because it stayed there all day - not even an eraser could scrub it off. People down at the station probably thought that he looked like some idiot, but he didn’t care. 

“ _Honey, I’m home!_ ” He calls out in sing song mode.

On cue, Ben appears at the top of the stairs and starts to make his way down, lugging a heavy suitcase behind him. 

The sight makes Callum’s stomach drop and he swallows a lump in his throat. The back of his neck starts tingling and he suddenly has to catch his breath for a second as his lungs start to knot and his legs start to feel slightly wobbly. His mind starts to divert him to wondering whether Ben has changed his mind - whether he’s having doubts, second thoughts, does he not want to be with him anymore let alone _marry him_ and now wants him out of his life.

“What’s that?” He asks nervously, feeling like there was no point in avoiding the inevitable. 

There is a skip in Ben’s step when he reaches the bottom of the stairs. He looks up at Callum with a wide smile and excitement reflecting in his eyes. 

“We’re going away for a few days,” Ben exhilarates, the suitcase coming to a standstill next to him.

“What?” Callum splutters, relief settling in his stomach and his heart. 

“Yeah,” Ben confirms, walking towards Callum and placing a soft kiss on his lips in greeting. Both craving the feel of them and savouring the taste that they had been deprived of for hours on end. When he looks back up at Callum, Ben’s eyes are glowing with love and devotion. “We’re going on a romantic getaway. I booked it all while you were at work since you now have a few days off, thought it would be good for us to get away. Just me and you, no distractions.”

Callum’s heart started to race and he was suddenly filled with emotion that he quickly suppressed. He had everything he wanted and he still had to pinch himself that this all existed, that this was the life that he now leads. And it was beautiful and perfect. 

“That sounds amazing,” Callum swallows, voice thick with emotion. “Where are we going?”

“Booked a posh hotel up in London,” Ben starts, grinning from ear to ear. “Fancy hotel room, romantic walks, amazing food, fantastic sex, visiting landmarks and maybe seeing the odd musical.”

Callum had to catch his breath, it all sounded so surreal. They had never really been away before, just the odd night away but this was their first _proper_ break away and there was something pretty magical about it. 

He smiled brilliantly, all dimples and wide smiles, “Honestly, this sounds the best. _You are the best_.” 

“I know,” Ben says cheekily. He diverts his attention to the side table that sat beside them and picks up a card. “Look what Lola gave me when she came home with Lex earlier.” He says and puts the card in Callum’s hand.

Callum quirks his eyebrow before diverting his own eyes down to the card whose words stood loudly before his eyes. It was filled with drawings of confetti and champagne and large gold letters that spoke **_Congratulations!!_**

He opened the card carefully and saw multiple different scribblings of handwriting from all their family wishing them congratulations on yesterday’s engagement and wishing them a happy fulfilling future together. Callum was determined to do everything in his power to make sure that they would make this fulfilment of love and happiness for the rest of their lives together. His goal in life was to make Ben happy, just as happy as he makes him. His heart swelled when he noticed Frankie and the Carter’s signatures and brief messages, deeply touched that Lola made the effort to get their signatures, knowing how much it would mean to him. And it meant the world. _This card_ meant the world.

He recalled back to when he saw cards of congratulations to his engagement to Whitney and he remembered cringing at the sight of them, made his stomach turn as they took pride of place in their flat. It felt suffocating.

But this card made his heart burst, this card felt right. This life felt right. 

“This is so lovely,” Callum comments, feeling deeply touched. He gently puts it back down on the side table. “People are so thoughtful.” 

“Yes, I guess there are some kind people out there,” Ben quips, a fond smile on his lips.

“And it’s not a weakness,” Callum retorts, in kind jest as he takes them both back in time to a conversation that they had _so long ago now_. 

A click of the tongue followed by a tight-lipped smile forming on Ben’s lips as he looks down shyly before looking back to meet Callum’s eyes, “I guess not, no.”

“What I want to know though,” Callum starts - pulling Ben towards him, wrapping his arms around his short frame compared to his, their chests pressed together. “Is how you managed to afford all of this.”

Ben’s looking up at him, an innocent grin on his lips and skittish look formed in those pretty blue eyes that always makes Callum weak, “Do you _really_ want to know?” He challenges.

A look of defeat plasters Callum’s face and he just smiles helplessly at Ben, “No I don’t, as long as you can promise me that I’ll get you all to myself and I’ll see no sign of a copper for the next few days.”

“Well there’s always policemen lurking around Buckingham Palace,” Ben teases, but when he notices how a serious stare shadows Callum’s gaze with a raise of his eyebrows, his face softens. “Your wish is my command.” 

He presses a kiss to Callum’s lips, like he is sealing a promise.

  
  


The view from the balcony of their hotel room was spectacular. Callum felt like he was standing on top of the world as the whole of London was lit up exquisitely below him. He could see everything, he could feel _everything_. All of the emotions that he had stuffed into his heart completely was ready to come bursting out of his chest. 

“Here.” Callum turns and his breath catches in his throat when he notes how Ben has joined him on the balcony, dressed in a casual shirt and jeans like Callum, with two flutes of champagne in his hand. “You think you could stomach another glass of champagne after last night?” 

Callum flashes him a dazzling magnificent smile that always makes Ben’s heart stutter. He takes the glass of champagne, “Really pushing the boat out with all this _romance_ lark aren’t you,” he comments with a playful tone. He lets the fizzing liquid cool the palm of his hands that were currently clamming because of the anticipation that was bubbling in Callum’s stomach, the anticipation of being in love truly for the first time in his life. And he got it right. 

“Well we only get to do this _right_ once,” Ben adds, coming to stand beside Callum. He looks down at the picturesque scene below them, the whole world beaming in all its glory. He quickly swallowed the lump that was threatening to rise in his throat, deep in emotion. He looked up at the stars above to find them dancing in silver and gold - glorious - like they were dancing and shining for them. 

“Plus it’s good practice for when we go on honeymoon,” Ben clears his throat, quickly building his walls back up. 

“The honeymoon?” Callum chuckles lightly, “We have a wedding to organise first.” 

“But we all know the best thing about a wedding is the honeymoon babe,” Ben states, a sexy grin now visible on his lips. “Massaging your sun-kissed skin in sun cream, in an exotic country far away from London, claiming the honeymoon suite, love making under thin white sheets every night.” 

“Just me and you on our own for two weeks, where no one knows us,” Callum adds, the exact thought swelling in his chest, a burning fire settling there. “Sounds amazing. I have always wanted to go somewhere exotic.”

“Did being in the army not quite cut it for ya?” Ben snorts. 

Callum rolls his eyes but he is grinning. His eyes divert to look back out over the balcony and he gets lost in his imagination, gazing in wonder. “No, I meant somewhere like the Maldives or Mexico. I have always wanted to see more of the world.” 

“Well I would strip down for you Cal but we have dinner reservations in about twenty minutes,” Ben jokes, his massive ego rising as the words rolled innocently off his tongue. Part of his mind wandering to the king size bed that was waiting for them in their room. 

Callum tuts loudly, his head flicking to meet Ben’s, “You know what I mean.” 

Ben’s face softens and his smirk is replaced with a sincere smile. He gently takes hold of Callum’s hand, instantly feeling the warm as their fingers are intertwined, “Yeah I do. We have our whole lives ahead of us to see the world _together_.” 

A look of pure endearment and devotion mirrors in both of their eyes reflections. They were _it_ for each other, they were in it for the long run. Building their lives, their futures around each other. _Their forever._

“What shall we toast to?” Ben asks gently, stepping closer to Callum.

“Forever,” Callum suggests, holding his champagne flute out towards Ben, ready to meet Ben’s in a toast, celebrating _them_. His mind strikes thinking how cheesy it is, but he doesn’t care. 

Ben meets him with a doting smile and clinks his glass with Callum’s, “To _Forever._ ”

And it was only the beginning. The start of another chapter compared to the many chapters to come in their story.

**Author's Note:**

> looks like i also managed to resolve exactly where they have been too since the proposal ;) kudos and comments always mean the absolute world to me and make my heart burst x
> 
> tumblr: calsangel 
> 
> come and say hi! :)


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